Love Can Change the World

Transcription

1 REV. VICKY L. EASTLAND, PASTOR 2 BROOKVILLE ROAD BROOKVILLE, NY Where our doors are always open! June 2016 Love Can Change the World The Eastland Family and Sofer Druin Sunday, May 15th was an unprecedented day here on our Multifaith Campus! It was a day I will not soon forget, because the New Synagogue of Long Island gave our entire multifaith campus community a once in a lifetime opportunity. Everyone was invited to the Torah to receive a letter of the Hebrew alphabet in a special Torah Completion Ceremony. Those who took advantage of this invitation were truly blessed. Rabbi Paris says that the Torah is Love and when he asked the Orthodox Sofer if non Jews could receive a letter in the Torah, he said, Of course! The Torah is for EVERYONE! This spirit of inclusion is what makes our multifaith campus so unique! It is what makes up our DNA here at Brookville. Can you imagine a world movement where everyone s love was unconditional? I can, because I saw it being lived out right here! Our multifaith campus came together in profound ways on May 15th. While we were having our Christian worship service, the synagogue and the Interfaith Community were next door completing the newly restored Torah that is now a part of our campus; a Torah which finds its home in the Ark in our shared sanctuary. Then some of us came back in the afternoon to receive a Hebrew letter from the Torah too. While church members and interfaith families were coming and going, the Muslim group held their Quran study in my office. Several from the Quran study came out to say hello and Rabbi Paris pulled them into the conference room to write a Hebrew letter in the Torah. What distinguishes us here at Brookville is that we make no distinction, that we love all others the way God loves us. And our love even extends to those with no belief in God. That day, I overheard Dave Denison, a professed atheist (whose permission I have to write about) having a conversation with Dr. Sultan, the facilitator of the Muslim group. Dave finds it remarkable and hopeful that the human species, with such disparate religious beliefs which often lead to death and unimaginable suffering, can come together in the spirit of love and peace in the same room. Not only did I walk into this amazing conversation between two people I love, I witnessed with my own eyes Dave s honest and sincere interest in learning about the Torah, in receiving a Hebrew letter, in wanting to be a part of what is happening here among us. In a later to me Dave wrote: I applaud your efforts in making this the center of your ministry. I hope that these interfaith exchanges will become contagious! I truly believe this to be humanity s best chance to avoid extinction which is within our ability to change. I sometimes feel that our DNA may need to evolve and be re-written before global human selfdestruction will change. Perhaps the Brookville Multifaith Campus is the epicenter for this transformation! Keep up the good work! I am in full support, though I still am an atheist just not a devout one! What we are doing here is the world movement I am talking about. This is the world I envision and I think Jesus did too. (Continued on page 3)

2 Brookville Church News 2B Brookville Church 2016 June 28 4pm - You are cordially invited to a special Classis of Nassau- Suffolk Worship service at Brookville Church. The Classis is the governing body of the Reformed Church in America above Brookville Church. *All Worship Celebrations begin 10:00 a.m. No worship services offered on summer dates not listed. Please use this time to visit other churches. *July 10 ~ Brookville Church - Communion *July 24 ~ Outdoor Service at Clifton Park, Glen Ave. in Sea Cliff, and BBQ at the Eastland s, 171 Glen Ave., Sea Cliff, following. *July 31 ~ Galilean Service at the Douglaston Dock - Rev. Ken Bradsell, Minister at the Protestant Church in Oman, will be guest preaching, Shore Rd. at the West end of Beverly Rd. (Bring your own lawn chair.) *August 7 ~ Reformed Church of Locust Valley - Communion, 115 Ryefield Rd. *August 21 ~ Bailey s Arboretum - Guided meditation walk, 194 Bayville Rd., Locust Valley, NY. *September 4 ~ Labor Day Service (outdoor) - The Reformed Church of Locust Valley, 115 Ryefield Rd.

3 Brookville Church News 3B Love Can Change the World ~ Continued from p. 1 The power of love and unity among us is contagious. The only thing now is to spread the word that we are here, ready to welcome new people in search of a spiritual home. So let s brag about our community, invite people, pray for each other and those yet to come. Let s be the epicenter for transformation! In Loving Solidarity, ~Rev. Vicky The Denison Family Rabbi Paris, Rev. Enid Kessler and Sofer Druin Dr. Sultan Abdulhameed and Sofer The Economic Opportunity Commission of Nassau County, Inc. The low income community in our immediate area is constantly in need of assistance. If you would like to help, please contact: Janice Wardlaw, Director, Glen Cove EOC 4 Mason Drive, Apt. BB (Lower Level) Glen Cove, NY jwardlaw@eoc-nassau.org Office Phone (516) Summer Youth Program Donations Needed The EOC of Glen Cove is seeking donations to assist their program participants. They can use help and consideration in the following areas: 1. Sponsorship of youth (s) in seven-week summer program 2. Contributions for printed shirts for participants, volunteers and youth staff. 3. Contributions for snacks and water. Checks can be made payable to EOC of Nassau County Inc. with Glen Cove EOC Summer Youth Program in the memo section. Please feel free to contact Janice Wardlaw or Kevin Newsome at (516) for additional information.

4 Brookville Church News 4B Echo of Gratitude Someday I think I d relish to go to a height where I hear my own echo. Bewitched, would I be to hear only one, minute recording that nature has done. I d say as loud as my voice would allow how grateful I am to be alive now. CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR GRADUATE! Written by Diana Beasley when she was fifteen years old. Diana turned seventy-five on May 2nd. Brookville Church Received a Donation from Amazon Smile! Yes, this really works! Amazon will donate 0.5% of your eligible purchases to Brookville Church every time you shop. This time our donation was small, but we can grow that number with your participation. It s easy, and if you already shop on Amazon, follow the steps below to donate to Brookville Church! Ready? Here s how it works: To shop at amazon.com, go to smile.amazon.com. Simply log in to Amazon as you normally would. In the search box in the lower right, type Brookville Church. From the list that appears, pick our Brookville, NY location. At the top of the Amazon page you will see: Supporting: Brookville Church. Shop as normal, and 0.5% of your eligible purchases will be sent to Brookville Church at the end of every quarter. It s that simple! Thanks to everyone who has already signed up to support our church! My father gave me the greatest gift anyone could give another person, he believed in me. ~ Jim Valvano Alexa Ritacco is a recent graduate of the University of Southern California. She set her sights on going there since her sophomore year in High School and persevered to make it happen for herself. She majored in Public Relations. Alexa received her Bachelors degree with a designation of magna cum laude. She is presently contemplating a few job offers in the Los Angeles area. LuDay Provides Superior Education for Children Long Island Lutheran Day School at St. Paul s (LuDay) located in beautiful East Northport offers an outstanding Kindergarten through 5 th grade elementary school. LuDay provides a well-rounded Christ-based program, which nurtures children s mind, body and soul. A high-quality, independent curriculum, free from mandates and high-stakes testing ensures smaller classes and individualized attention to students. The result is a dynamic learning community that fosters self-confidence and independence while promoting each child s enthusiasm for learning. To see what LuDay has to offer your child contact us today at: x224 or Lorraine.rocco@ludaynorthport.org.

5 Brookville Church News 5B We re Still Here While You re on Vacation! Set up your Online Giving now for the summer! While you re away, your support for the church continues! Giving online is easy, fast and secure! And you can earn points by using your rewards credit card! Here s how Online Giving makes your life easier: Signing up is quick and uncomplicated You can choose between using your checking account or a credit card Budget your giving weekly, monthly, yearly the choice is yours Select the fund(s) you wish to contribute toward General Operating Expenses, Camp Warwick Scholarship Fund, Rev. Meyers Partnership in Ministry, etc. Your gifts are received and support the work of the church, even if you are not able to get to church as often as you would like. Visit our website and click on the link to sign up! Housing+Solutions Thank You Dear Rev. Vicky, On behalf of the women and families of Housing +Solutions, we want to thank you and the Brookville Reformed Church for committing your time to collecting clothing and accessories for our women who attended the beautiful breakfast and shopping event on April 16th. This event truly had a profound impact on the lives of our families and women. We now have eight programs for formerly homeless tenants whose lives are changing thanks to permanent housing and the supportive services that we tailor to meet their individual needs. Day by day, we see the success that will bring them the stability and economic security they are seeking. Once again, thank you for your thoughtfulness and assistance in creating a beautiful event. It means a lot to all of us to have this demonstration of support for our work. Sincerely, Rita Rita Zimmer, Executive Please Note: New Church Office Hours Summer Schedule: June- August Monday: CLOSED Tuesday: 8:00-1:00 p.m. Wednesday: 8:00-1:00 p.m. Thursday: 8:00-1:00 p.m. Friday: 8:00-1:00 p.m. Thank You! Shall I compare thee to a summer's day? Thou art more lovely and more temperate. Rough winds do shake the darling buds of May, And summer's lease hath all too short a date.

6 Reflections Reflections To this day I cannot see a bright red tomato, a proud gladiola, or a smooth eggplant without thinking of Dad. Like his plants and vines, I grew up as a part of his garden. ~Anonymous Last month you read about the two Anderson families who arrived in the early 1900 s to live in my home town in Minnesota. There were several interesting connections among the members of the families starting with a dozen children in each home. One family lived on a farm and gardening was part of their established farm business as well as fulfilling their daily needs. I remind you, this was There weren t any local grocers selling fresh vegetables, unless the farmers provided them from God s bounty! The other family, my relatives, kept a huge garden, more than a block long and half a block wide, which grew enough food sufficient for the whole year. All the children in both families were required to do gardening work. These young people became the aunts, uncles and parents of the third generation, which included me and my friend, Paul Anderson. The significance of gardening was passed down to us young boys; both sets of parents felt that working in the garden was good for body and soul, and gave us something worthwhile to do each summer throughout our school years. To this day, Paul and I remember the lessons our parents wanted us to glean from the garden something we did not fathom until many years later. Going to my garden is a ritual I still enjoy because it is a connection to Grandma s garden, and by extension, my folks garden. When mother, Alma Anderson, married dad, Branch Worsham (a farmer s son), they brought together amazing gardening skills that I still appreciate. One of the best vegetables in their garden was carrots, long, straight and plump. I was forty or fifty years old before I realized how much work carrots require: planting the teeny seeds, thinning them to avoid crowding and stunting their growth, and then weeding, always weeding. My dad farmed the carrots all those years and never told me his secrets. Perhaps they were his favorites. Going to the garden in the early morning, my hoe in hand, is the time I most enjoy. As a boy I never ever appreciated the garden as a place of tranquility. It was only after several years of working my own garden that I found myself wandering amongst the plants, observing their many colors: green leaves and white flowers beans, dark green leaves and yellow flowers tomatoes and delicate violet flowers sweet peas. After seeing the beauty of my garden, I discovered the perfume of a garden is its hidden joy its extra sense and it made my whole outdoor experience so much richer. Many times I m in awe of God s little acre, so near and free to enter. What a marvelous gift. How can religion not be mixed up with everyday life? If I have to be away from my garden for a few days, upon returning, the blessed greenery means more to me than ever. The scents, the softness of newly tilled soil, the sunshine that comes from Heaven above bringing rays of joyful light and warmth; these are the joys that quietly slip into my mind and give the tranquility that comes only to someone who loves gardens and the earth. (Well, that s my opinion anyhow.) When there is a wild storm filled with the chaos of blowing wind and heavy rain, I sometimes wonder, What will happen? But I know it will be the same as always and, for sure, the day will grow warmer, and the breeze will fold its wet wings and fade away. Some days a morning plan to work in the garden is swept away by wind and cold rain, but in the evening, I m able to walk through the rows and pick some beans or tomatoes to take indoors. The evening has its own tranquility; a long silence as twilight gathers and encloses the garden in shadows that dance lightly and smoothly in the moonrise, as Silently, one by one, in the infinite meadows of heaven, Blossom the lovely stars, the forget-me-nots of the angels. If all of my garden space is not filled, I plant a few flowers in the plot for their blast of color and fragrant sweetness. Their presence reminds me there should be a small measure of something decorative, admired only for its beauty and not to be harvested as a crop. I have my garden, which the family calls your garden or the garden. It is a paradise where memories of gardens past reside in harmony with the earth, the sky and each day. It is my favorite summer place. A beloved spot. A sermon in itself (a nice short one as all good sermons should be). I can get a sermon from the bugs and bees, and grow conscious of the beauty of industry and the folly of idleness. As I stare up through the trees, I realize how small and wholly unimportant I am. This column is dedicated to my friend, Paul Anderson. We have not seen each other for many years, but he has done his part better than I did mine to keep the friendship alive and true for over sixty years. We have had a special time these past two months, finding out more and more about each other, things not secret, but not known until we opened the door to the past, the one that happened before our own time. I left home as a son of Minnesota and he stayed, earning the title a man of Minnesota, which connects him to our fathers who were both men of Minnesota. I envy him for that. Branch Worsham END WORD: ~A beautiful garden is a work of heart. ~To cultivate a garden is to walk with God. ~Cares melt when you kneel in a garden. ~When heaven falls to earth it becomes a garden. ~Forecast for tonight: Dark. ~You can bury a lot of troubles digging in the earth. ~Garden of Weedin. ~Inch by inch, row by row, I m gonna make this garden grow. ~Seeds are a link to the past. YOU KNOW ~ YOUR ONIONS ~ LETTUCE SUPPOSE ~ THIS BEETS THEM ALL ~ DON T TURNIP YOUR NOSE

7 Torah Completion and Celebration On Sunday, May 15, 2016 (corresponding to 7 th Iyar, 5776 on the Hebrew calendar), the New Synagogue of Long Island celebrated the completion of our 100 year old Torah. The entire Multifaith Campus joined us as we welcomed the Torah into our home. The word Torah means to guide/teach. A Torah is handwritten by a Sofer (Scribe) who must copy all 304,805 letters in 5,845 verses in 248 columns perfectly. No machines are involved. Rabbi Gedaliah Druin, a renowned public speaker, lecturer and Sofer, was at the New Synagogue of Long Island s Multifaith Campus to help us complete the Torah by guiding our hand as we finished each letter. His presentation about the art of the Torah was truly inspirational. All were mesmerized as Rabbi Druin brought the relevance of Torah to life in a most meaningful way. Our new Torah now sits in the Ark (Aron Kodesh) in the front of the Synagogue. The Ark has two of the most important statements in the entire Torah written across the top and down each side: V ahav ta et Adonai Elohecha, b chol l vav cha, u v chol naf shecha u v chol m odecha And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. (Deuteronomy 6:4-9) Ve ahav ta lere acha ka mocha Love thy neighbor as yourself (Leviticus 19:17-18) These two Torah portions were also selected by Jesus and Muhammad as the two most important teachings to their followers. We should remember these phrases to teach the importance of learning about others and respecting their ideals and beliefs. Jewish law includes within it a blueprint for a just and ethical society, where no one takes from another or harms another or takes advantage of another, but everyone gives to one another and helps one another and protects one another. In fact, some of the laws instituted by the sages even extend kind treatment to inanimate objects. The bread on the Shabbat table is covered during the blessing over the wine, so that its feelings are not hurt by having the wine take precedence over it. Of course, we do not believe that bread actually has feelings, but this practice helps to instill an enormous sensitivity to others. If we can show concern for a loaf of bread, how can we fail to show concern for our fellow man and for one another? The Torah in our shared sanctuary therefore embodies the true spirit of each of our communities and honors all who the call the Multifaith Campus their home. With great humility and joy, I want to extend a sincere Thank You (Todah Rabbah) to all who participated in this extraordinary once-in-a-lifetime event. With Love, Rabbi Stuart A. Paris, HaKohen

8 Brookville Multifaith Campus News 2M Multifaith Campus Play & Spring Picnic! June 12, 2016 ~ Play: 10am ~ Picnic: 11am Don t miss out on the fun! The Saturday Night Live Group of Alcoholics Anonymous meets at the Brookville Church every Saturday night at 9pm. (Coffee and cake starting at 8:30!) As one of Nassau County's oldest AA groups, this meeting has been in existence for over 40 years. If you think you have a problem with alcohol, you are welcome to attend this meeting. For more information, feel free to contact Carol B. at (516) Our Together We Serve meal ministry is up and running, ready to meet the needs of individuals and or families in the Brookvile Church and Multifaith Campus. A birth? Illness? Surgery? Let us help make life a little easier by bringing a meal, making a dish that can be frozen/reheated easily in the future, ordering a local food delivery, pizza, etc. Anyone can initiate a meal train" simply by calling the church office ( ) and providing our Administrative Assistant, Janîce, with the name of the recipient(s), along with pertinent information. Let us help make life a little easier for someone in need! Currently, we have one member of the church who is on the receiving list. If you would like to sign up to bring a meal, please call the office and speak to Janîce.

9 Brookville Multifaith Campus News 3M Rev. Justin Meyers our Partner in Ministry will visit our Campus on Father s Day, June 19th! Rev. Justin Meyers, wife Stephanie, sons Collin and Gavin Brookville Church cordially invites the multifaith campus partner ministries to join us on June 19th at 10 a.m. as we welcome Rev. Justin Meyers, our Partner in Peace and Education. Since 2014, our campus has financially supported Rev. Meyers and the Al Amana Peace Centre in the Middle East. The centre s primary focus is Muslim- Christian relations, but the hope is that it will inspire positive relations and cooperation among all religions. The positive initiatives the Al Amana Centre is making are having a global effect and provide a path of dialogue and coexistence that is a model for others to follow. This is directly in line with our own mission here on Brookville s Multifaith Campus. Please plan to join us on June 19th at 10 a.m. to meet Rev. Meyers as well as hear in person the amazing work we are partnering with on the other side of the globe. SUMMER SCHOLARSHIPS FOR CAMP WARWICK For many years Brookville Church has raised funds to send underprivileged children from Long Island to our denominational summer sleep away camp, Camp Warwick, a 465 acre hilltop camp located 50 miles northwest of NYC. Many of the children that we sponsor are homeless, living in shelters or transitional housing with their families. Every day at Camp Warwick is full of fun and surprises. The children explore the trails, tackle the climbing tower, zoom down the zip line, enjoy songs and stories around the campfire, and take part in awesome activities such as Human Clue and Capture the Flag. For many of the children we sponsor, the week is life changing because it offers a break from the stress and challenges of their everyday lives. It is a chance for them to enjoy nature and spend time with godly role models who invest their energy into loving these children, and teaching them about God s love. This year, through various fundraising efforts, such as coffeehouses, private tutoring and recitals, collectively we ve raised $3,676.00! Over $500 of that amount was raised by our own children here on our multifaith campus through a fall c o f f e e h o u s e w h e r e t h e y performed, baked and provided raffles, ALL ON THEIR OWN! Kids raising money for underprivileged kids was what happened that day. Along with a remaining balance in our camp scholarship fund of $1, we have a total of $4, to send kids to camp. At $375 per camper, that is just a few dollars shy of sending 13 campers this summer! 15 spots have been promised, so we have about $800 dollars yet to raise. If you would like to help make the dream of summer camp possible for 2 more children this summer, please consider contributing to this great cause. Working at summer camp for three summers during college and seminary were some of the best experiences of my life. Now my son has caught the bug and loves camp as much as I do! In fact, he is going to be one of the Camp Counselors at Camp Warwick this summer, caring for and loving the children we sponsor. Would you help us meet our goal? If yes, please write a check to: Brookville Reformed Church and put Camp Warwick Scholarship in the memo line. You can also give online by going to our website and clicking on the donation link on our homepage. THANK YOU to everyone who has contributed through our various fundraisers over the past year. Through your contributions, we are changing the world one child at a time. God bless you! ~Rev. Vicky

10 Brookville Multifaith Campus News Get Inspired to Travel! We live on such a beautiful planet and you deserve to see it! I ve had a lifetime passion to discover the world around us; to absorb new cultures, foods, experiences. I also strive to make it possible for my clients to travel the world, to whatever destination they desire. My number one priority is making sure to design a trip suited to your exact needs. Travel can ignite new interests and bring to light our need for adventure, beauty, relaxation or the simple need for quality time with friends and family away from the daily grind. Not only do I love to travel and help design trips for others to enjoy, I also love my church and the multifaith community at Brookville. Because of that love, if you book your next trip or vacation with me, I will gratefully and proudly donate 10% of my earnings to the Brookville Church and Multifaith Campus! To find out more or to book your trip, please call or me. I can t wait to send you to the destination of your dreams and help our faith community at the same time! Valerie Ritacco Power Travel International Cell: (516) valerie@powertravel.net 4M APRIL 29th COFFEEHOUSE A SUCCESS! The Common Grounds Coffeehouse of April 29th was a rousing success, raising a total of $500 for Center for Developmental Disabilities! Thanks go to Mark Coffey, Roy Weinberger, Carol Goglia, Maddy Cirker, Sarah, Rachel and JJ Worsham, Danny Richard and Linda Cirigliano for their uplifting and joyful performances. Thanks also to Cathy O Neill, Jessie Surig, Rev. Vicky, Toni Petrash, and Valerie Ritacco for raffle donations and refreshments, as well as Rev. James Eastland and Jack and Toni Petrash for their work in the kitchen and with the raffles! Nothing like this can be done without the generous participation of so many Thank You! Hope the summer is a safe and happy one for all, and stay tuned for a Kids Coffeehouse in the Fall! ~Lisa Denison The New Synagogue of Long Island Shabbat Service Rabbi Stuart Paris, Hakohen Cantor Irene Failenbogen First Friday of Each Month at 7pm All are welcome to attend! Join the Muslim Reform Movement (MRMO) for Quran Studies in June! Hosted by: Dr. Sultan Abdulhameed, author of The Quran and the Life of Excellence ~Sunday, June 12 2:30pm ~Sunday, June 26 2:30pm All are welcome! June Birthdays Raju Eastland - 2nd Leah Bergman - 2nd Linda Lyon - 4th Alexander Marentis - 6th Paola Garcai - 7th Mark Kaufman - 8th Liam Wandelt - 16th Nicholas Lisi - 17th Seth Cirker - 19th Barbara O Neill - 20th Martha Worsham - 22nd Branch Worsham III - 22nd Arthur Hessinger - 26th Cassidy Harley - 26th

11 Sixth Annual Reformed Church of Locust Valley Golf Outing! Monday, August 8, 2016 Glen Cove Golf Course $175.00/Player $700.00/Foursome Includes: Golf, Cart, Lunch & Dinner at The View Grill # Scramble Format 11:00 a.m. Registration / 1:15 p.m. Shotgun Dinner Only at 6:00 p.m. $45.00/Person, Seniors $35.00 (65+) Mail this form with your check payable to: Reformed Church of Locust Valley 115 Ryefield Road, Locust Valley, NY11560 Player Cell Phone Home Phone Address 1. (Primary Contact) Dinner Only - Name(s) Cell Phone Home Phone Address For more information call the church at: or admin.lvrc@verizon.net All proceeds to benefit the Reformed Church of Locust Valley